4*5 
C8AS 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
AT   LOS  ANGELES 


ROBERT  ERNEST  COWAN 


47TH  CONGRESS,  ) 
1st  Session.       $ 

SENATE. 

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(  Ex.  Doc. 
\  No.  184. 

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LETTER 

FROM 

THE   SECRETARY   OF   WAR, 


TRANSMITTING 


A  communication  from  the  Chief  of  Engineers  of  the  2lst  instant,  and  the 

*  accompanying  copy  of  1he  report  of  Capt.  Charles  F.  Poicell,  Corps  of 

Engineers,  upon  a  survey  of  the  Columbia  River  at  the  Dalles,  in  Oregon. 


JULY  25,  1882. — Referred  to  the  Committee  on  Commerce  and  ordered  to  be  printed. 


WAR  DEPARTMENT, 
Washington  City,  July  24,  1882. 

The  Secretary  of  War  has  the  honor  to  transmit  to  the  United  States 
Senate,  for  the  information  of  the  Committee  on  Commerce,  a  commu- 
nication from  the  Chief  of  Engineers  of  the  21st  instant,  and  the  accom- 
panying copy  of  the  report  of  Capt.  Charles  F.  Powell,  Corps  of  En- 
gineers, upon  a  survey  of  the  Columbia  Kiver  at  the  Dalles,  in  Oregon, 
made  in  compliance  with  requirements  in  the  river  and  harbor  act  of 
March  3,  1879. 

WM.  E.  CHANDLER, 

Acting  Secretary  of  War. 
The  PRESIDENT  pro  tempore 

of  the  United  States  Senate. 


OFFICE  OF  THE  CHIEF  OF  ENGINEERS, 

UNITED  STATES  ARMY, 
Washington,  D.  C.,  July  21,  1882. 

SIR  :  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  herewith  a  copy  of  a  report  to  this 
office  of  the  results  of  a  survey  made,  to  comply  with  requirements  of 
the  river  and  harbor  act  of  March  3, 1879,  under  the  direction  of  Maj.  G. 
L.  Gillespie  and  Capt.  C.  F.  Powell,  Corps  of  Engineers,  of  the  Colum- 
bia River  at  the  Dalles,  in  Oregon,  including  plan  and  specifications  for 
locks  and  canal  around  that  locality. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

H.  G.  WRIGHT, 

Chief  of  Engineers,  Brig,  and  Bvt.  Maj.  Gen. 
Hon.  ROBERT  T.  LINCOLN, 

Secretary  of  War. 

423238 


2  SURVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA   RIVER. 

SURVEY  OF  THE  COLUMBIA  RIVER  AT  THE  DALLES  IN  OREGON. 

UNITED  STATES  ENGINEER  OFFICE, 

Portland,  Oreg.,  May  30,  1882. 

SIR  :  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  upon  a  survey 
of  the  Columbia  Eiver  at  the  Dalles,  Oregon  and  Washington  Terri- 
tory, with  a  project  for  improvement  for  navigation : 

A  survey  at  the  Dalles,  Oregon,  with  plan  and  specifications  for  canal 
and  locks,  was  required  by  act  of  Congress  of  March  3,  1879. 

The  principal  part  of  the  field-work  of  the  survey  now  reported  upon 
was  performed  between  October,  1879,  and  January,  1880,  by  direction 
of  Maj.  G.  L.  Gillespie,  Corps  of  Engineers,  officer  in  charge,  and  under 
my  supervision. 

Subsequently  and  at  various  times  additional  surveys  and  examina- 
tions were  made  of  special  localities,  to  furnish  results  more  detailed 
than  ones  obtained  by  the  main  parry,  and  also  for  studying  the  variable 
phases  of  the  river  during  its  widely  different  stages. 

An  excellent  instrumental  examination  had  been  made  in  1874  by 
Assistant  Engineer  It.  A.  Habersham,  and  under  the  orders  of  Maj.  X. 
Michler,  Corps  of  Engineers.  A  map  on  a  scale  1:  7,200  was  plotted 
from  this  examination.  No  definite  project  for  an  improvement,  how- 
ever, was  prepared.  The  obstacles  to  be  overcome  were  briefly  described 
in  a  report,  and  some  plans  were  suggested.  The  time  of  the  examina- 
tion was  necessarily  too  brief  to  include  all  the  varying  features  which 
enter  into  this  grand  and  useful  work,  and  to  give  the  data  for  solving 
this  difficult  problem  of  engineering,  which  appears  at  first  sight,  as 
stated  by  Major  Michler,  almost  insurmountable. 

The  examination  paved  the  way  for  a  detailed  survey,  and  the  map 
of  the  former  furnished  a  good  groundwork  on  which  to  arrange  the 
latter. 

One  month  preceding  the  commencement  of  the  survey,  permanent 
water  gauges  were  established,  and  from  that  time  read  daily,  as  a  rule, 
until  June,  1881.  All  the  gauges  are  on  the  Oregon  side.  No.  1  is  fixed 
on  the  railroad  incline  at  Celilo ;  it  marks  the  level  of  the  river  next 
above  Tumwater  as  locally  known,  or  Celilo  Falls,  as  given  on  our  maps. 
Gauge  No.  2  is  at  the  foot  of  the  Falls.  No.  3  is  at  the  head,  and  No. 
4  at  the  foot,  of  the  Five-mile,  or  Dalles  Kapids  proper.  No.  5  is  on  the 
railroad  incline  at  the  city  of  The  Dalles.  The  Ten-mile  Eapids  is  about 
midway  between  gauges  2  and  3.  The  Three-mile  Kapids  or  Narrows 
is  about  midway  between  gauges  4  and  5.  Gauges  1  and  5  are  at  ter- 
mini of  present  navigation. 

The  survey  was  based  on  a  triangulation  and  a  circuit  of  duplicated 
levels  covering  both  banks  of  the  river  from  Celilo  to  the  Dalles.  There 
were  one  hundred  and  twenty-two  trigonometrical  stations,  equally  dis- 
tributed on  both  banks  and  generally  placed  above  mean  high-water. 
Asa  rule  the  stations  were  marked  by  0.5  or  0.75-inch  drill  holes  in  the 
natural  rock,  thus  insuring  permanency  for  use  during  construction  or 
subsequent  surveys.  A  triangle  was  cut  around  the  holes,  and  adjacent 
stone  pyramids  erected  for  prominent  surface  marks.  Consecutive  sta- 
tions were  generally  intervisible.  The  elevations  of  the  trigonometrical 
stations  were  determined  for  convenient  use  in  topographical  work,  and 
to  furnish  a  series  of  well-located  bench  marks,  on  both  shores,  through- 
out the  whole  reach  of  the  survey. 

Four  base  lines  were  measured.  The  true  meridian  was  determined 
near  Celilo.  Observations  were  made  for  magnetic  declination  near  the 


SURVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA    RIVER.  3 

Dalles.  Connection  was  established  with  three  land-survey  points — 
one  near  Celilo,  one  near  Five-mile  Bapids,  and  one  near  the  Dalles. 

The  water  surface  was  leveled  to  at  sounding  stations  and  also  at 
principal  breaks.  The  high-water  line  of  1879,  which  had  remained 
plainly  visible  on  the  banks,  and  the  high-water  marks  of  1876  at  Celilo 
and  at  the  Dalles,  were  included  in  the  levels.  The  stage  of  1879  is 
that  of  mean  high- water.  The  flood  of  1876  is  the  highest  known  to 
white  inhabitants. 

Topography  was  run  with  the  stadia  and  was  extended  to  the  foot  of 
the  bluffs,  or  where  the  valley  widened,  as  it  does  near  the  Dalles,  to 
include  all  overflowed  laud.  On  the  upper  half  of  the  region  of  survey 
topography  was  plotted  in  the  field  on  specially  prepared  sheets.  On 
the  other  part  the  advanced  state  of  the  winter  season  made  necessary 
a  resort  to  sketching  in  the  field-book,  without  curtailing,  however,  the 
field-notes. 

Soundings  were  taken  wherever  the  current  made  the  use  of  a  small 
'  boat  safe.  Above  the  Falls,  sounding  stations  were  built  400  feet  apart 
on  both  banks ;  zigzag  lines  were  run  between  the  stations  and  sound- 
ings made  at  regular  intervals  of  time.  Below  the  Falls  the  current  is 
too  swift  to  keep  a  boat  on  a  given  short  range  across  the  river.  Straigh  t 
lines  were,  therefore,  made  as  nearly  perpendicular  to  the  current  di- 
rection as  practicable ;  the  ends  of  the  lines  were  marked  with  stakes 
after  reaching  shore.  The  nearest  gauge  was  read  before  and  after 
each  set  of  soundings.  Levels  were  run  to  the  sounding  stakes  as  soon 
after  the  sounding  as  practicable,  and  the  gauges  read  at  times  of  such 
leveling. 

Surface  velocities  of  current  were  obtained  at  principal  places  during 
stages  near  extreme  ones. 

Gauge  stations  were  inspected  occasionally.  Gauge  readings  were 
plotted  monthly  and  care  exercised  to  detect  errors.  Some  few  suspi- 
cious results  were  rejected  entirely.  From  the  unusual  height  of  the 
winter  freshet  of  1881  it  was  correctly  judged  that  the  following  sum- 
mer rise  would  not  reach  a  mean,  and  consequently  add  but  little  value 
to  the  high-water  observations  already  obtained.  *  Headings  to  the  end 
of  February,  1881,  were  therefore  submitted  to  an  analysis  for  determi- 
nation of  slopes  at  different  stages,  and  for  compilation  of  tables  of  con- 
venient reference. 

The  period  of  gauge  observations  included  the  flood  of  1880,  which 
was  the  third  highest  known  to  white  inhabitants,  and  which  was  only 
2.7  feet  at  Celilo  below  the  great  flood  of  1876.  Two  winter  low- waters, 
when  the  upper  river  was  closed  by  ice,  and  an  unusual  spring  low- 
water  of  1880,  when  the  river  was  full,  were  also  included. 

For  the  analyses,  all  readings  had  been  previously  reduced  to  the 
datum  plane;  those  of  gauge  1  were  arranged  in  nearly  consecutive 
order  from  the  lowest  to  the  highest.  In  parallel  columns  and  on  the 
respective  horizontal  lines  were  placed  observed  corresponding  results 
of  other  gauges.  Gauge  1  was  then  compared  with  each  of  the  other- 
gauges  and  the  readings  separated  into  groups,  so  that  the  range  was 
small  and  the  number  of  results  in  the  groups  was  reasonably  large. 
The  limit  of  range  was  taken  as  1  foot  on  gauge  1 ;  the  average  range 
on  the  same  gauge  is  0.74  foot ;  the  average  number  of  results  in  all  the 
groups  is  16.2.  The  means  of  corresponding  groups  in  each  compari- 
son were  considered  as  rectangular  co-ordinates  of  points  of  a  line, 
which  would  represent,  by  absissas  and  ordiuates,  corresponding  read- 
ings on  the  two  gauges  under  consideration.  Through  points  plotted 
by  each  series  of  such  co-ordinates  the  mean  curves  were  drawn.  The 


4  SURVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA    RIVER. 

curves  were  extended  to  extreme  high-water  as  found  by  leveling  to  re- 
liable marks  of  the  1876  flood,  and  to  an  extreme  low-water  as  trans- 
ferred by  deduction  from  the  Cascades  Canal,  where  such  a  stage  had 
been  definitely  fixed.  For  this  deduction  two  periods  of  observation  on 
the  Dalles  gauges  and  on  the  Cascades  gauge  number  1  were  selected, 
when  the  river  was  low  and  during  a  time  of  little  change  and  no  rain. 
Each  period  included  eight  days'  observations.  The  mean  of  the  Cas- 
cade readings  for  one  of  the  periods  was  1.7  feet  above  extreme  low- 
water,  and  for  the  other  period  3.2  feet.  Simple  proportions  gave  read- 
ings on  the  Dalles  gauges  corresponding  to  the  low-water  reference 
adopted  at  the  Cascades. 

From  the  plot  of  the  curves  of  corresponding  readings  on  gauge  1, 
with  those  on  gauges  2  to  5,  tables  were  made,  which  give  readings  be- 
tween extreme  high-waters  on  the  other  gauges  for  each  foot  on  gauge  1. 

These  tables  and  levels  to  the  river  surface  at  points  between  the  gauge 
stations  give  the  data  for  a  profile  of  water  surfaces. 

To  avoid  confusion  only  characteristic  stages  were  plotted.  The  pro- 
ject for  the  Cascades  Canal  contemplates  improvement  for  navigation 
from  low  water  to  a  reading  of  20  feet  on  Cascade  gauge  Xo.  2.  The 
stage  corresponding  to  this,  at  the  Dalles,  is  shown  on  the  profile. 
Eeadings  of  that  stage,  on  the  Dalles  gauges,  were  deduced  in  this  way : 
a  period  of  ten  days  was  chosen  when  the  river  was  nearly  at  a  stand- 
still, and  the  mean  of  whose  daily  readings  exactly  marked  the  20  foot 
stage  at  the  Cascades ;  considering  that  one  day  was  required  for  water 
to  flow  from  the  Dalles  to  the  Cascades,  a  distance  of  nearly  50  miles, 
the  corresponding  mean  was  taken  at  the  Dalles  gauge  No.  5 ;  for  the 
other  gauges  interpolation  was  made  in  the  table. 

The  profile  sheet  of  water  surfaces  also  shows  the  river  bottom  along 
the  line  of  deepest  soundings. 

RIVER  DESCRIPTION. 

The  bed  and  permanent  banks  are  of  basalt.  The  rock  is  full  of 
seams  and  fissures,  and  overlaid,  in  places,  by  gravel,  shingle,  and  cob- 
blestones. Between  high  and  low  water  lines  there  are  large  areas  cov- 
ered with  shifting  sand-dunes. 

The  trough  of  the  low  river  is  from  10  to  60  feet  deep.  The  depths 
through  the  Dalles  .Rapids,  where  sounding  is  impracticable,  were  com- 
puted to  vary  from  30  to  40  feet.  The  sides  of  the  trough  are  generally 
\  precipitous,  and  in  many  places  vertical  and  from  40  to  80  feet  high. 
The  widths  vary,  at  low  water,  from  125  to  2,5uO  feet,  and  from  1,250  to 
4,500  feet  at  flood  stage. 

Surface  current  measurements,  made  at  stages  of  from  4  to  5,  and 
from  40  to  44  above  low-water  at  gauge  5,  and  which  are  nearly  mean 
low  and  high  stages,  give  the  following  results :  Low-water  velocities 
vary  from  1.2  to  12.7  miles  per  hour ;  and  high  water  ones  from  5.1  to 
18.8  miles  per  hour.  Velocities  in  detail  are  given  in  accompanying 
tables. 

The  total  fall  from  Celilo  to  the  Dalles  (city),  adistance  of  13.6miles,  is: 

Feet. 

At  extreme  low-water hl.4 

At  mean  high-water  (flood  of  1679) "....  61.7 

At  extreme  high-water  (flood  of  1876) 56.5 

The  slope  at  any  one  stage  is  not  uniform,  as  shown  by  the  profiles  of 
water  surfaces.  At  the  lowest  stage,  beginning  at  Celilo, 

For  9,000  feet,  the  slope  is  1 :  9000  ;  then  a  vertical  fall  of  about  20  feet.— middle  of 
Celilo  Falls. 
vFor  2,000  feet,  the  slope  is  1 : 75. 


SURVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA    RIVER.  5 

For  1,900  feet,  the  slope  is  1 : 158. 
For  10,900  feet,  the  slope  is  1 :  2370. 
For  5,400  feet,  the  slope  is  1 :  720.    Ten-Mile  Rapids. 
For  5,200  feet,  the  slope  is  1 :  2080. 
For  1,800  feet,  the  slope  is  1 : 487. 
For  6,800  feet,  the  slope  is  1 :  24:50. 
For  5,200  feet,  the  slope  is  1 : 520.     Dalles  Rapids. 
For  3,000  feet,  the  slope  is  1 : 3000. 
For  28,8uO  feet,  the  slope  is  1 : 14857. 
At  mean  high  stage  : 

For  5.000  feet,  the  slope  is  1 : 10000.     Celilo  Falls. 
For  400  feet,  the  slope  is  1 : 160. 
For  5,600  feet,  the  slope  is  1 : 1400. 
For  11,300  feet,  the  slope  is  1:  7060. 
For  5,700  feet,  the  slope  is  1 : 1055.     Ten  -  Mile  Rapids. 
For  15,000  feet,  the  slope  is  1 : 21429. 
For  1,800  feet,  the  slope  is  1 : 138.     Dalles  Rapids. 
For  1,700  feet,  the  slope  is  1 : 1700. 
For  1,700  feet,  the  slope  is  1 : 154.     Dalles  Rapids. 
f  For  2,400  feet,  the  slope  is  1 :267. 
For  10,600  feet,  the  slope  is  1 :  964. 
For  10,800  feet,  the  slope  is  1:5400. 

The  profile  at  the  extreme  high-water  does  not  vary  much  from  that 
at  mean  high  stage ;  the  slopes  of  the  former  are  somewhat  less  than 
those  of  the  latter,  from  Celilo  to  the  head  of  the  Dalles  Rapids ;  below, 
the  slopes  of  the  two  stages  are  nearly  equal. 

The  serious  obstructions  to  navigation  are  Celilo  Falls,  Dalles  Rapids, 
and  Ten-Mile  Rapids.  The  Three-Mile  Rapids  and  another  minor 
rapids,  about  2  miles  above  the  Dalles  Rapids,  offer  but  little  difficulty 
at  any  stage,  even  to  ascending  steamers ;  velocities  at  the  latter  minor 
rapids  decreaser  as  the  river  rises,  and  the  difficulty  to  navigation  disap- 
pears entirely  at  mean  high-stage.  At  the  Three-Mile  Rapids,  velocities 
are  the  least  at  low  stage  ;  they  increase,  however,  as  the  river  rises. 
Wherever  soundings  appear  on  the  maps  transmitted  herewith,  navi- 
gation may  be  considered  easy  at  all  stages. 

The  ledge  of  rock  forming  the  Celilo  Falls  juts  out  from  the  left  bank 
1  mile  below  the  Celilo  landing,  and  extends  directly  down  stream  for 
nearly  1.75  miles.  Large  openings  at  the  shore  end  of  the  ledge  make 
the  partial  fall  known  as  the  Horse-shoe,  and  whose  waters  escape  to 
the  river  below  through  the  deep  narrow  chute  made  by  the  ledge  and 
the  rock  walls  of  the  Oregon  side.  The  main  volume  of  river  flows 
over  and  through  depressions  of  a  wide  ridge,  at  right  angles  to  the 
current,  and  which  joins  the  ledge  near  its  lower  end,  with  a  rock  pla- 
teau on  the  Washington  side.  The  ledge,  ridge  and  plateau  are  com- 
pletely covered  at  the  higher  stages  of  river.  Extreme  rise  of  the  upper 
level  is  28.3  feet,  and  of  the  lower  level  72.3  feet.  The  total  fall  at  the 
extreme  lowstage  is  47.2  feet,  and  consequently  only  3.2  feet  at  extreme 
flood. 

From  the  basin,  where  unite  the  two  main  parts  of  Celilo  Falls,  there 
is  a  good  boating  river,  for  two  miles,  to  the  head  of  Ten-Mile  Rap- 
ids. This  obstruction  is  a  chute  0.5  mile  long,  from  200  to  300  feet 
wide,  with  vertical  sides  from  60  to  70  feet  high,  and  through  which 
flows  the  entire  river  at  stages  lower  than  about  20  feet,  locally.  A 
portion  of  a  higher  river  passes  through  a  channel  on  the  north  side, 
formed  by  a  natural  depression  in  a  rock  plateau.  The  velocities  of 
the  low  river  and  of  the  high-water  channel  are  equal  and  about  7.5 
miles  per  hour.  The  current  is  not  so  much  of  an  obstruction  as  the 
disturbance  of  water  produced  by  an  irregular  cross-section  and  sub- 
merged rocks,  which  cause  swirls,  and  strong  eddies.  A  boat  cannot 


G  SURVEY  OF  THE  COLUMBIA  RIVER. 

be  held  steadily  on  her  course,  but  is  rendered  liable  to  be  dashed 
against  the  rock  sides  or  forced  on  the  reefs. 

Three  and  one-quarter  miles  further  down  is  the  head  of  the  Dalles 
Kapids.  The  name  is  said  to  be  derived  from  Canadian  French,  D'aller, 
meaning  a  mill-race.  Next  in  advance  of  the  rapid,  the  river  is  wide 
and  somewhat  shoal;  the  low  and  sandy  banks  here  are  the  mouths  of 
deep  ravines  extending  into  the  bluffs.  Walls  of  rock  put  out  from  the 
river  sides  at  right  angles  to  the  current  forming  the  head  of  the  rapid. 
The  gorge  is  8,000  feet  long  and  from  125  to  350  feet  wide.  The  sides 
are  precipitous  and  from  40  to  60  feet  high ;  between  them  flows  the 
entire  volume  of  the  Columbia  at  the  lower  stages. 

A  rising  river  on  reaching  30  feet  above  low-water  begins  to  escape 
through  two  side  channels — one  on  the  right  near  the  head,  andthe  other 
on  the  left  near  the  middle  of  the  chute.  The  flood  river  spreads  over  the 
walls,  but  their  height  and  the  narrowness  of  even  the  high  river  cause 
floods  to  back  up  almost  to  Celilo.  The  extreme  rise  at  the  head  of  the 
rapid  is  87  feet,  and  at  the  foot  66.6  feet.  The  low-water  fall,  in  the  rapid, 
is  11.2  feet;  the  maximum  fall,  35  feet,  occurs  at  a  stage  about  mean  high 
water.  Near  the  lower  end  there  are  several  dangerous  rocks  in  the 
rapid,  and  at  the  foot  large  masses  of  rock  divide  it  into  different  parts ; 
tbe  main  channel  empties  into  a  capacious,  deep  basin  of  rectangular 
shape,  called  the  big  eddy.  The  river  leaves  this  basin  at  right  angles 
to  the  direction  of  the  rapid,  and  again  quickly  turns  another  sharp 
corner.  Up-stream  navigation  of  the  rapid  at  low  stage,  and  a  down- 
stream passage  during  high  river  only  are  possible.  Navigation  cannot 
even  for  possible  cases  be  made  practicable  without  extensive  radical 
improvement. 

Below  Three-Mile  Kapids  navigation  would  be  easy.  In  fact,  1  mile 
above  the  Dalles,  landing  is  the  mooring  place  or  harbor  for  craft  not  in 
use. 

The  bottom  of  the  river  from  Celilo  to  the  Dalles  is  a  succession  of 
deep  pockets  and  high  ridges ;  the  latter  are  natural  submerged  weirs,  over 
which  the  low  river  falls  with  greater  or  less  slopes,  depending  upon  the 
relative  elevations  of  consecutive  dams.  The  profile  sheet  of  water  sur- 
faces plainly  shows  this  condition  of  river  regimen.  For  the  same 
locality  changes  of  slopes  at  different  stages  are  due  to  engorgements 
of  the  river,  or,  in  other  words,  changes  of  relative  lengths  and  average 
heights  of  the  dams. 

The  gauge-tables  transmitted  herewith  show  the  difference  of  river 
surface  elevations  between  gauge  stations,  with  horizontal  distances,  for 
different  stages  of  river. 

The  distance  from  safe  water  above  Celilo  Falls  to  navigable  river 
next  above  the  Dalles  landing  is  56,200  feet ;  the  total  fall,  at  low  stage, 
is  80.7  feet;  this  fall  decreases  gradually  to  flood  stage,  when  it  becomes 
53.2  feet. 

ATTEMPTS  IN  NAVIGATION. 

Several  craft  have  made  the  trip  from  the  Upper  to  the  Middle  Co- 
lumbia, and  generally  with  safety.  The  passage  from  Celilo  to  the  head 
of  the  Dalles  Kapids  is  made  during  high-water,  and  through  the  Dalles 
at  low  stage.  A  notable  case,  as  showing  the  extent  of  possible  navi- 
gation on  the  Snake  River  and  partly  on  the  Columbia,  is  that  of  the 
steamer  Shoshone.  This  boat  was  built  on  the  Upper  Snake  for  the 
Boise  country  trade,  before  the  construction  of  the  Northern  Pacific 
Kailroad.  She  navigated,  without  difficulty,  a  reach  of  170  miles,  and 
afterwards  made  the  passage  of  the  Great  Ca'fion  of  the  Snake,  the  Dalles 


SURVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA   RIVER.  7 

obstructions,  and  the  Cascades,  and  was  subsequently  used  on  the  Upper 
Willamette.  The  distance,  by  river,  from  the  highest  point  reached  on 
the  Snake  to  the  present  head  of  navigation  on  the  Willamette,  is  841 
miles.  The  steamer  Harvest  Queen  is  the  last  boat  brought  down  from 
Celilo,  February,  1881.  She  jumped  the  falls  at  the  low  stage,  for  such 
an  attempt,  of  10.6  feet  on  gauge  1,  and  53.9  feet  on  gauge  3.  Her 
wheel,  rudders,  and  machinery  were  damaged,  the  boat  rendered  un- 
manageable, and  prevented,  with  difficulty,  from  being  carried  into  the 
Dalles  Eapids.  A  little  later,  when  the  river  had  fallen  to  a  stage  of 
22.4  feet  at  gauge  3,  the  steamer  finished  the  passage  without  a  scratch. 

No  steamer  has  attempted  to  ascend  the  Dalles  Eapids.  Before  the 
time  of  steam  navigation,  however,  bateaux  were  taken  up.  Captain 
Silas  Smith,  a  river  pioneer,  states  that  in  March,  1858,  when  the  river 
was  doubtless  not  below  a  mean  low  stage,  he  took  a  bateau  fleet  to  the 
foot  of  Celilo  Falls;  each  boat  carried  two  tons  and  was  manned  by  four 
men;  at  the  Dalles  the  crew  doubled,  and  cordelled  the  loaded  bateaux 
through  the  rapids. 

Mr.  Lawrence  Coe,  who  was  formerly  interested  in  Dalles  steamers, 
assures  me  that  several  years  ago  one  of  his  boats,  and  of  a  kind  less 
powerful  than  steamers  now  in  use,  ascended  the  Three-Mile  Eapids 
without  difficulty  during  low  stage. 

The  government  launch,  stationed  at  the  Cascades,  and  whose  speed 
is  only  10  miles  per  hour,  steamed  from  the  Dalles  to  the  Big  Eddy, 
July,  1881,  during  a  stage  of  47.5  feet  at  gauge  3.  Some  difficulty  was 
experienced  at  the  Three-Mile. 

During  September,  1881,  the  small  steam  ferry-boat  belonging  at  the 
Dalles  went  to  the  Big  Eddy  with  ease;  gauge  3  read  38.1,  or  a  stage  of 
17.G  feet. 

CHARACTER   OF    RIVER   AND   NAVIGATION   BELOW   THE   DALLES  AND 
ABOVE  CELILO. 

The  Middle  Columbia,  as  the  reach  is  named  from  the  Dalles  to  the 
Cascades,  has  a  good  8-foot  channel  at  an  extreme  low- water,  whose 
average  annual  duration  is  very  short.  Steamers  plying  here  are  large 
and  powerful.  Barges  are  much  used ;  they  are  fitted  with  sails  and 
frequently  sail  up-stream;  winds  prevail  in  that  direction,  except  dur- 
ing winter.  There  are  several  lumber  and  wood  scows  on  this  reach. 
Through  river  traffic  is  much  decreased  now,  on  account  of  the  late 
completion  of  a  railroad  from  the  the  Dalles  to  the  Cascades.  For  that 
reason  one  steamer  was  taken  over  the  Cascades  for  service  elsewhere. 
A  second  steamer,  and  the  largest  of  the  fleet,  is  in  readiness  for  transfer 
to  the  lower  river.  The  rail  portage  on  the  Washington  side  is  still 
maintained,  and  passengers  have  a  choice  of  boat  or  rail.  The  new 
railroad  on  the  Oregon  side  is  a  single-track  one,  and  will  almost  neces- 
sarily remain  so;  it  is  subject  to  breaks  from  snow  blockades,  land 
slides,  and  from  a  stretch  of  treacherous  bed  near  the  present  lower  end 
of  the  line. 

The  government  has  commenced  a  navigation  improvement  at  the 
Cascades,  consisting  of  a  canal  with  lock  and  extensive  open  river  work 
along  the  lower  approach.  The  project  is  intended  to  give  navigation 
during  low  and  medium  stages  of  river,  lasting  about  one-half  of  the  year, 
and  is  arranged  for  convenient  development  into  a  high-water  system; 
$540,000  have  been  appropriated,  so  far,  for  this  improvement. 

Below  the  Cascades  to  the  mouth  of  the  Willamette,  the  present  .head 
of  ship  navigation  on  the  Columbia,  the  river,  51  miles  in  length,  has  a 


8  SURVEY  OF  THE  COLUMBIA  RIVER. 

natural  capacity  for  navigation,  fully  as  large  as  the  middle  river.  The 
same  class  of  steamboats  and  barges  ply  here  as  there.  Below  the 
mouth  of  the  Willamette  a'nd  on  that  river  to  Portland,  Oreg.,  are 
found  first-class  craft  of  all  kinds — river,  coasting,  and  foreign  trade. 
A  more  detailed  description  of  the  middle,  lower,  and  also  upper  river, 
with  dimensions  and  numbers  of  river  craft,  is  given  in  a  paper  accom- 
panying the  report  of  the  Board  of  Engineers  on  the  Cascade  Canal,  of 
November,  1880. 

THE  UPPER  COLUMBIA. 

Present  navigation  on  the  Columbia  and  Snake  rivers,  from  Celilo  up, 
is  continuous  to  Lewiston,  266  miles  ;  and  also  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Snake  to  Priest  Eapids,  on  the  Columbia,  73  miles.  Navigation  is  like- 
wise practicable,  beyond  Lewiston,  for  15  miles  on  the  Clearwater,  and 
for  42  miles  on  the  Snake. 

Low-water  navigation  on  the  river  reaches  named  is  difficult  on  ac- 
count of  numerous  rapids,  made  by  rock  obstructions.  The  government 
has  entered  upon  projects  to  give  a  5.5  foot  channel  from  Celilo  to  the 
Snake,  4.5  feet  on  the  Snake  to  Lewiston,  and  4  feet,  for  40  miles  from 
Lewistou,  on  the  Clearwater ;  $200,000  have  been  appropriated,  and 
$86,424  are  estimated  for  completion  of  the  projects. 

Steamboats  on  the  Upper  Columbia  and  Snake  are  smaller  than  those 
on  the  middle  river,  but  equally  well  appointed ;  the  average  tonnage 
of  the  former  is  626  (measurement).  There  has  been  no  regular  barge 
navigation  on  the  upper  river;  limited  scow  towing  was  lately  intro- 
duced for  carrying  stone  down  the  worst  part  of  the  navigable  Snake 
to  Ainsworth,  and  has  proven  so  advantageous  that  doubtless  grain  will 
be  transported  in  a  similar  way  this  fall.  Larger  steamers  and  barges 
could  be  used  during  medium  stages ;  but  from  the  isolation  of  the  route 
only  boats  have  been  constructed  for  its  trade  which  could  profitably 
navigate  the  rivers  during  the  busy  season  of  low- water. 

As  on  the  middle  river,  the  construction  of  the  railroad  on  the  south 
bank  has  much  decreased  the  traffic  by  boat  and  portage.  The  fleet  of 
the  rail  and  navigation  company  is  now  used  for  places  not  reached  by 
the  railroad. 

The  average  annual  ice  blockade  on  the  upper  river  lasts  about  six 
weeks.  Prevailing  high  winds  occasionally  increase  to  gales  and  im- 
pede navigation. 

On  the  whole  river  different  stages  of  water  occur  with  regularity ; 
low- water  follows  the  harvest  season  with  certainty ;  mean  low  stage  is 
reached  about  the  first  of  October  5  a  freeze-up  during  the  holidays ; 
freshets  giving  good  boating  stages  in  late  winter  or  early  spring,  and 
high- water  at  summer  solstice.  Mean  low  to  medium  stage  is  the  easiest 
for  navigation. 

PROJECT  FOR  IMPROVEMENT  FROM   CELILO   TO   THE  DALLES. 

This  improvement  should  be  arranged  for  use  during  the  same  periods 
as  that  at  the  Cascades.  These  two  works  of  magnitude  and  import- 
ance are  only  50  miles  apart  and  both  are  between  the  principal  pro- 
ducing region  and  ship  navigation ;  each  one  is  the  natural  complement 
of  the  other,  and  especially  is  it  true  that  navigation  at  the  Dalles,  with 
the  Cascades  closed,  would  be  of  little  value. 

The  Cascade  stage  of  river  of  20  feet,  which  marks  the  limit  of  ex- 


SURVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA    RIVER.  9 

pected  navigation  there  for  present  time,  corresponds  on  the  Dalles 
gauges — 

At  No.  1,  to  a  reference  of  97.5,  or  local  stage  of  8.0  feet. 
At  No.  2,  to  a  reference  of  74.9,  or  local  stage  of  32.7  feet. 
At  No.  3,  to  a  reference  of  62.6,  or  local  stage  of  42.1  feet. 
At  No.  4,  to  a  reference  of  32.7,  or  local  stage  of  23.4  feet. 
At  No.  5,  to  a  reference  of  25.0,  or  local  stage  of  17.0  feet. 

Eeferring  now  to  the  adaptability  of  the  localities  for  different  kinds 
of  improvement,  it  may  be  stated  that  open  river  navigation  from  good 
water  at  the  lower  end  of  the  obstructed  reach  to  the  foot  of  the  Dalles 
Rapids  and  of  the  rapid  reaches  between  the  Dalles  and  the  falls  may 
all  be  made  entirely  practicable.  The  Dalles  Bapids  are  also  suscepti- 
ble of  similar  improvement  during  lower  stages  j  but  the  point  on  a  rising 
river,  to  which  it  can  be  judiciously  carried,  is  problematic ;  it  is  not  even 
certain  that  navigation  through  the  rapid  can  be  made  practicable  up 
to  the  Cascade  stage  of  20  feet ;  moreover,  extensive  river  improvement 
'at  this  locality  may  increase  the  work  at  rapids  above.  For  the  passage 
of  Celilo  Falls  lockage  will  be  required  for  all  stages  below  mean  high- 
water,  and  radical  improvement  below  the  falls  will  doubtless  make 
such  lockage  necessary  for  higher  stages. 

The  following  plans  have  been  considered : 

1.  To  carry  the  Celilo  level  by  a  trunk  or  canal,  with  a  lock  at  the 
upper  end,  to  a  flight  of  locks  located  near  gauge  station  4. 

2.  With  lift  locks  as  in  plan  1,  to  dam  the  river,  making  the  overfall 
into  Big  Eddy. 

3.  Open  river  improvement  for  all  stages  to  Celilo  Falls,  and  lockage 
for  the  same  at  the  falls. 

4.  Open  river  improvement  for  lower  stages  to  Celilo  Falls ;  lockage 
from  low  to  mean  high -water  at  the  falls ;  open  passage  over  the  falls 
for  higher  stages,  and  lockage  from  medium  to  highest  stage  at  the 
Dalles  Eapids. 

The  trunk  or  canal  of  plan  1  would  need  to  be  water-tight  at  its  bot- 
tom, and  on  the  sides  to  low-water  line.  The  maximum  total  lift  would 
be  81.1  feet.  To  give  8  feet  draught  and  exclude  high  river  the  outer 
wall  of  the  canal  would  be  from  28  to  38  feet  high.  The  lock  on  a  level 
could  be  conveniently  placed  south  of  guage  station  2;  the  Oregon 
chute  of  Celilo  Falls  could  be  made  part  of  the  canal. 

There  is  one  peculiarity  of  this  locality  which  merits  consideration  in 
connection  with  the  long  canal  plan,  and  that  is  the  extensive  move- 
ments of  sand  on  the  river  sides.  Between  gauge  stations  2  and  3, 
railroad  gangs  work  uninterruptedly  to  keep  the  track  free  of  sand. 
This  part  of  the  road  has  been  in  use  several  years,  and  no  remedy  has 
been  found  to  make  daily  sand  work  unnecessary.  A  little  beyond 
Celilo,  sand  blockades  on  the  railroad  have  actually  occurred. 

Plan  2  would  raise  the  flood  line  and  cause  an  expensive  elevation  of 
the  railroad  track,  unless  the  dam  were  a  low  one  and  part  of  the  lift 
made  at  the  falls. 

Plans  3  and  4  are  of  about  equal  cost,  and  possess  the  advantage  over 
the  others  of  more  open  navigation  instead  of  lockage ;  and  the  ad- 
vantages of  prime  importance  in  providing  navigation  for  the  busy  boat- 
ing season  in  the  least  time,  and  furnishing  benefits  quickly  available 
for  each  annual  appropriation.  Plan  3  has  these  merits  in  the  greater 
degree,  and  when  the  injudiciousuess  of  continuation  on  that  plan  has 
been  practically  demonstrated,  a  change  to  plan  4  may  be  made  without 
loss.  Open  river  improvement  to  the  falls  and  the  Celilo  Canal  are  there- 
fore recommended.  In  connection  therewith  a  free  wagon  road  from 


10  SURVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA    RIVER. 

Big  Eddy  to  good  water  of  Celilo  lias  been  estimated  for.  The  river 
work  should  begin  at  the  lower  end,  and  as  it  advances  the  wagon  road 
shortened;  and  when  boats  are  able  to  reach  the  foot  of  the  proposed 
canal,  the  road  be  replaced  by  a  rail  portage,  or  the  latter  structure 
added  on  the  Oregon  side. 

A  similar  free  portage  railroad  is  included  in  the  Cascade  project;  its 
length  would  be  3,000  feet.  The  length  of  the  Dalles  wagon  road  would 
be  9.6  miles;  and  the  part  around  the  Celilo  Falls,  7,000  feet.  The 
aggregate  length  of  rail  portages  would  be  less  than  2  miles.  Their 
free  use  for  the  present,  and  until  the  opening  of  the  Cascade  and  Celilo 
canals,  would  be  of  immense  value  to  the  whole  Columbia  River  country, 
and  an  actual  saving  to  the  canal  appropriations,  from  reduced  trans- 
portation and  convenient  delivery  of  material. 

The  open  river  work  of  the  low-water  project  consists  in  the  removal 
of  projecting  points  and  isolated  knobs  of  rock  at  the  rapids.  Prices 
given  in  the  estimates  are  much  less  than  those  for  which  rock  work 
has  been  done  on  the  upper  rivers,  but  are  yet  believed  to  be  liberal,  on 
account  of  the  quantity  of  work  required  and  other  favorable  circum- 
stances. The  places  of  rock  removal  are  shown  by  colored  areas  on 
the  maps  herewith.  v 

The  extension  of  river  improvement  for  open  navigation  of  the  high- 
water  system  contemplates  rock  removal  down  to  or  near,  but  not  be- 
low, low-water;  closing  of  channel  on  left  bank  opposite  Three-Mile 
Eapids,  and  building  of  four  submerged  dams  below  that  rapid.  The 
work  is  calculated  to  give  areas  of  least  cross-section. 

Square  feet. 

At  low-water  of 6,600 

At  Cascade  stage  of  20  feet  of 45,240 

At  jfaean  high-water ?5,3(iO 

And  is  expected  to  make  a  nearly  continuous  slope  from  Celilo  Falls 
to  next  below,  the  Dalles,  not  exceeding  0.85  foot  per  1,000  feet  at  the 
stage  of  greatest  slope. 

The  location  of  the  Dalles  Canal,  which  is  the  substitute  of  the  high- 
water  open  river  improvement,  is  on  the  south  side  of  the  Dalles  Rapids, 
as  shown  on  the  Celilo-Dalles  map  No.  2. 

The  location  of  the  Celilo  Canal  is  chosen  on  the  rock  plateau,  flank- 
ing the  falls  on  the  Washington  side.  The  total  length  of  canal  is 
nearly  3,640  feet,  and  of  the  approaches,  1,200  feet.  The  width  between 
vertical  sides  of  canal  prism  is  90  feet ;  the  gate  span  is  70  feet  and  the 
lock  chamber  90  feet  by  462  feet.  These  dimensions  are  the  same  as  in 
the  Cascades  Canal,  and  are  intended  for  the  admittance  of  a  medium- 
sized  side- wheeler  and  lockage  of  a  fleet  of  tow-boat  and  three  barges. 
The  least  draught  is  6  feet  instead  of  8  feet,  as  at  the  Cascades.  Six 
feet  through  the  canal  is  certainly  as  great  a  navigable  depth,  for  stern - 
wheel  boats,  as  7  feet  at  the  rapids;  it  allows  ample  margin  for  ad- 
ditional depth  on  the  upper  river  over  that  contemplated  by  present 
project.  The  plan  provides  a  high  guard-gate  at  the  head  and  a  guard- 
gate  at  the  foot  of  the  canal.  The  high  guard-gate  can  subsequently 
be  made  the  upper  gate  of  a  guard-lock  for  use  as  a  lift-lock  in  the  high- 
water  system.  Room  is  left  for  this  addition  and  for  an  intended  en- 
largement of  the  canal  prism.  These  two  changes  are  shown  in  broken 
lines  on  the  plan  of  the  canal  as  drawn  on  the  Celilo  Falls  map.  A  dry- 
dock  would  be  very  advantageous;  one  to  be  located  north  of  the  lower 
part  of  the-guard  lock  is  included  in  the  estimates.  Two  locks,  com- 
bined, are  provided  in  the  low-water  system ;  the  lifts  are  23.G  and  24.6 
feet;  this  division  results  from  a  discussion  herewith. 


SUEVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA   RIVEE.  11 

Detailed  estimates  of  cost  are  attached.    Estimates  in  the  aggregate, 
according  to  desirable  stages  of  construction,  are  as  follows: 

SUMMARY,    LOW-WATER   PROJECT. 

(10 

(a)  Title  to  land  and  right  of  way  for  river  improvement 

and  CeliloCanal $10,000  00 

(6)  Improvement  up  to  Big  Eddy 252,300  00 

(c)  Wagon  road  and  bridge 21,05361 

$283, 353  61 

(2.) 

(a)  Improvement  at  Five-Mile  Rapids 3,382,190  00 

(b)  Improvement  at  Ten-Mile  Rapids 1,001,700  00 

(c)  Improvement  at  Ten-Mile  Rapids. (relief  channel)  ..        112,68000 

4,496,570  00 

(3.) 
CeliloCanal...  .     2,894,57190 


Total 7,674,495  51 

SUMMARY   OF   ESTIMATE,    HIGH-WATER   PROJECT. 

(10 

Open  river  improvement  below  Celilo  Falls 82,272, 321  00 

(2.) 

Celilo  Canal. 

(a)  Enlargement  of  canal $17,400  00 

(b)  Guard-lock 407,800  00 

(c)  Dry-dock '       145,327  20 

570,527  20 


Total 2,842,848  20 

The  first  stage  in  the  low-water  project  gives  navigation  to  the  foot 
of  the  Dalles  Eapids  and  the  wagon  road  from  there  to  head  of  the  Falls  ; 
the  second  gives  navigation  to  the  Falls,  and  the  third  to  Celilo.  For 
judicious  work  and  advantageous  results  the  appropriation  should  not 
be  less,  for  the  first  year,  than  the  cost  of  the  first  stage;  $1,000,000 
each  year  thereafter  until  the  river  improvement  is  completed,  and  then 
$500,000  annually  for  the  canal;  this  would  require  about  eleven  years 
for  the  completion  of  the  project. 

COMMERCIAL,  STATISTICS. 

The  Columbia  is  the  great  river  of  the  Pacific  coast.  In  volume  and 
commercial  value,  it  is  second  only  to  the  Mississippi.  Its  banks  are 
more  stable,  its  waters  are  more  clear,  its  ice  blockades  are  much  less 
in  duration  than  on  the  great  water-way  of  the  East.  Unlike  the  Missis- 
sippi, the  Columbia  seeks  the  ocean  on  a  line  parallel  to  trade  channels, 
and  not  at  right  angles  to  them. 

The  drainage  area  Of  the  Columbia  Eiver,  above  the  Dalles,  is  esti- 
mated at  182,000  square  miles;  it  comprises  Eastern  Oregon  and  Wash- 
ington, Idaho,  part  of  Montana,  and  a  portion  of  British  ColuWibia.  The 
natural  outlet  to  the  seaboard  for  the  productions  of  this  region  is  by 


12 


SURVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA    RIVER. 


the  river.  "With  isolated  reaches  of  navigation  and  corporation  port- 
ages, traffic  will  be  by  railroads,  difficult  in  construction  and  expensive 
in  maintenance,  with' consequent  high  rates  of  transportation. 

The  following  table  was  carefully  compiled  from  daily  reports  of  re- 
ceipts on  file  at  the  Portland  Merchants'  Exchange.  A  small  part  of 
the  freight,  not  exceeding  15  percentage  at  the  most,  was  received  at 
landings  below  the  Dalles  Eapids,  and  consequently  should  not  be  cred- 
ited to  the  upper  country.  The  stated  increase  of  the  last  year  over  the 
preceding  one  is  in  excess  of  the  actual  increase ;  the  principal  item  of 
this  difference  is  15,000  tons  of  wheat,  which  the  transportation  first 
available  could  not  promptly  carry  away.  The  amount  of  up  freight  is 
not  known;  it  is  considerably  less  than  the  down  freight. 

Columbia  River  traffic  transported  to  Portland  by  Dalles  and  Cascade  route  of  Oregon  R<iil- 
way  and  Navigation  Company. 


Articles. 

3.9 

fi, 

||| 

-2.9 

'  81, 
|ll 

, 

Value,  1880-'81. 

Value,  1881-'82. 

• 
gl? 

P 

Wheat                                  cwt 

397  113 

2  019  390 

$1  SO 

$595  669  50 

$3  (P9  085  00 

1  62°  277 

Hour  bbls. 

98,  C57 

202,  204 

4  50 

443,  956  50 

909.  918  00 

103,  547 

Oats      ..  .               ...        cwt 

75 

3  074 

1  33 

4  085  42 

2  999 

39  147 

1  50 

58  7'>0  50 

39  147 

Mill  feed  sks 

62 

3  474 

65 

40  30 

2,258  10 

3,412 

Potatoes                               do 

37 

16  689 

1  08 

39  96 

18  024  12 

16  652 

Wool                                      Ibs 

5  336  510 

6  309  918 

20 

1  067  305  20 

1  261  983  CO 

973  4()2 

Hides  do 

l'  030*445 

1  047  2"'! 

15 

154  566  75 

157  083  15 

Iti  776 

Cattle                                 head 

1  187 

5  413 

40  00 

47  480  00 

216  520  00 

4  ''0*i 

Sheep  do 

4,405 

9  356 

3  00 

13  215  00 

28,  008  00 

4,  9.i  1 

17 

186 

20  00 

340  00 

3  720  00 

169 

21 

50 

10  00 

210  00 

500  00 

''9 

Fruit  bxs 

274 

7  119 

8  00 

2  192  00 

56  952  00 

6  845 

Corn                                      sks 

481 

2  00 

96°  00 

481 

32  974 

81  559 

9   9"> 

96  284  08 

258  131  84 

48  578 

7 

'38 

60  00 

420  00 

2  280  00 

31 

7 

5  00 

20  00 

35  00 

3 

Seeds  sks 

91 

45 

5  00 

455  00 

225  00 

Pelts                                  pk^s 

5  762 

2''6 

2  00 

11  594  00 

45°  00 

Horses                                bend 

92 

75  00 

7  100  00 

92 

Lime  .           bbls 

186 

1  50 

279  00 

Fur                                       pks 

78 

50  00 

3  900  00 

Salmon  cases 

4  100 

5  00 

20  500  00 



748 

4  00 

2  992  00 



96 

5  00 

480  00 



Hogs  head 

80 

30  00 

2  400  00 



Tallow  .                            pkps 

197 

20  00 

3  940  00 

1 

20  00 

Totals 

2  468  278  68 

6  017  103  73 

Increase  for  year  ending  May 
31,1882 

3  548  895  05 

The  population  by  the  census  of  1880,  of  counties  which  furnished  the 
above  corrected  amount  of  freight,  is  66,000. 

The  principal  settlements  are  in  the  regions  between  the  Blue  Mount- 
ains and  the  rivers  Snake,  Columbia,  and  Umatilla;  and  next  north  of 
the  middle  part  of  the  Lower  Snake. 

During  the  last  year  immigration  largely  increased.  Notwithstand- 
ing the  expense  and  tediousness  of  the  trip  via  San  Francisco  and  the 
sea,  steamships  arriving  here  each  four  days  have  of  late  been  bringing 
three  hundred  to  four  hundred  settlers  on  their  way  to  the  Upper  Co- 
lumbia country.  Direct  railroad  connection  with  the  East  promises  to 
start  an  unprecedented  tide  of  immigration. 


SURVEY  OF  THE  COLUMBIA  RIVER.  13 

EXTENSION  OF  NAVIGATION  BEYOND  PRESENT  ROUTES. 

It  is  the  announced  policy  of  the  Oregon  Railway  and  Navigation, 
Company  to  run  boats  on  the  Clearwater,  Middle  Snake,  and  the  Co- 
lumbia above  Priest  Rapids,  as  soon  as  regions  along  those  parts  of  the 
rivers  become  settled.  Boats  have  already  made  trips,  at  favorable 
stages,  25  miles  up  the  Clearwater.  During  the  Bannock  war,  troops 
were  carried  by  steamers  to  the  mouth  of  the  Grande  Roude,  42  miles 
up  the  Snake  from  Lewiston,  and  previously  a  steamer  had  ascended  54 
miles  further.  An  estimate  for  improvement  of  the  Snake  from  Lewis- 
ton  to  the  Salmon  River,  60  miles,  based  on  an  examination  made  last 
August,  is  $32,604. 

On  the  main  river  Priest  Rapids  offers  a  serious  obstacle  to  continued 
navigation.  It  is  known,  however,  with  fair  certainty,  that  this  obstruc- 
tion and  a  reach  of  river  above,  together  of  153  miles,  are  susceptible  of 
improvement  for  navigation  without  canal  or  lock.  This  part  of  the 
Columbia  will  give  an  easy  outlet  for  the  splendid  valleys  of  the  Upper 
Yakima,  Kittitas,  Wenatchie.  and  Okiiiakaue,  the  timbered  land  of  Lake 
Chelan  and  that  part  of  the  great  plains  of  the  Columbia  lying  west  of 
the  Badger  Mountains  and  the  Grand  Coul6 ;  shipments  from  these  re- 
gions are  now  almost  nothing.  Further  north  there  are  430  miles  of 
water  to  the  head  of  navigation,  broken  only  at  two  places,  where  per- 
manent portages  may  be  preferable  to  canals.  Improvements  for  con- 
tinuance of  navigation  beyond  the  present  head  on  the  Columbia,  to 
limits  indicated  above,  will  require  $500,000,  according  to  rough  esti- 
mates. 

There  are  transmitted  herewith — 

Map  tracings,  Gelilo  to  the  Dalles,  in  two  sheets,  scale  1 : 6000. 
One  tracing  Celilo  Falls,  scale  1 : 1200. 
One  tracing  Dalles  Rapids,  scale  1 : 1200. 

One  set  of  plots  of  curves  of  corresponding  readings  at  gauge  stations. 
One  set  of  tables  of  corresponding  gauge  readings. 
Profile  sheet  of  water  surfaces. 
Profile  of  proposed  wagon  road. 
Profile  on  center  line  of  Celilo  Canal. 
One  set  of  velocity  tables. 

A  paper,  notes  on  arrangement  of  lift,  Celilo  locks. 

One  set  of  detailed  estimates,  low-water  and  high-water  improvement,  Celilo  to  the 
Dalles. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

CHAS.  F.  POWELL, 

Captain  of  Engineers. 

The  CHIEF  OF  ENGINEERS,  U.  S.  A. 


14  SURVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA    RIVER. 

CORRESPONDING  ELEVATION   OF   RIVER   SURFACE   AT   GAUGES   1    TO   5. 

Dalles  gauges. 


Gauge  1. 

Gauge  2. 

Gauge  3. 

Gauge  4. 

Gauge  5. 

Remarks. 

117.  74 

114.5 

107.5 

75.9 

61.2 

Extreme  high  water,  1876. 

117.00 

113.5 

106.6 

74.7 

60.2 

Deduced. 

116.  00 

112.1 

105.4 

73.0 

58.7 

Do. 

115.  00 

110.7 

104.2 

71.3 

57.2 

Observed. 

114.00 

109.3 

103.1 

69.6 

55.8 

Do. 

113.00 

107.9 

101.9 

67.9 

54.3 

Do. 

112.  00 
111.00 

106.5 
105.1 

100.5 
99.1 

66.2 
64.5 

52.8 
51.3 

s 

110.  00 

103.7 

97.6 

62.8 

49.8 

Do. 

109.  00 

102.3 

95.9 

61.0 

48.1 

Do. 

108.00 

100.9 

94.2 

59.2 

45.3 

Do. 

107.  5* 

*  Mean  high-water. 

107.'00 

99.4 

92.3 

57.4 

44.5 

Observed. 

106.00 

97.7 

90.2 

55.6 

42.6 

Do. 

105.  00 

96.1 

88.  0 

53.6 

40.6 

Do. 

104.00 

94.3 

85.6 

51.4 

38.6 

Do. 

103.  00 

92.2 

83.2 

49.1 

36.6 

Do. 

102.  00 

89.9 

80.6 

46.5 

34.5 

Do. 

101.00 

87.3 

77.7 

43.7 

32.4 

Do. 

100.00 

84.3 

74.4 

40.7 

30.2 

Do. 

99.00 

81.0 

70.4 

37.6 

28.1       . 

Do. 

98.00 

77.2 

65.3 

34.3 

26.1 

Do. 

97.5 

97.00 

74.9 

72.7 

62.6 

59.7 

32.7 

31.0 

25.0 

24.1 

20  foot  stage  on  Cascade  gauge  2. 
Observed. 

96.00 

67.6 

54.1 

27.8 

22.0 

Do. 

95.00 

62.0 

48.4 

24.7 

19.9 

Do. 

94.00 

57.0 

42.4 

21.4 

17.6 

Do. 

93.00 

52.8 

36.1 

18.1 

15.1 

Do. 

92.00 

49.5 

30.5 

15.2 

12.9 

Do. 

91.00 

46.6 

26.1 

12.8 

10.9 

Do. 

90.00 

43.7 

22.4 

10.5 

9.0 

Deduced. 

89.45 

42.19 

20.49 

9.30 

8.01 

Extreme  low-water  (deduced). 

5.000'  11.000'  43.000'  51.200'  72.000'  from  railroad  Incline  at  Celllo. 

6.000^32.000'  8.200'   20.800' 
Foot  of  Three-Mile  Rapid  61.200  feet  from  railroad  Incline  at  Celllo. 


Low-water. 

20  feet  on  Cas- 
cade^gauge 

Mean  high- 
water. 

High  water. 

Foot  of  Three-Mile  Bapld  .. 

8  7 

26  8 

47  75 

«4  25 

Gauge  5 

8  0 

25  0 

45  75     * 

61  25 

.7 

1.8 

2.0 

3.0 

SURVEY    OF    THE   COLUMBIA   RIVER. 

Differences  of  corresponding  readings. 


15 


Gauge  No.  1. 

Grange  No.  2. 

Difference. 

117.  74 

114.5 

3.24 

117. 

113.5 

3.5 

116. 

112.1 

3.9 

115. 

110.7 

4.3 

114. 

;      109.  3 

4.7 

113. 

107.9 

51 

112. 

106.5 

5.5 

111. 

105.1 

5.9 

110. 

103.7 

6.3 

109. 

102.3 

6.7 

108. 

100.9 

.  7.1 

107. 

99.4 

7.6 

106. 

97.7 

8.3 

105. 

96.1 

8.9 

104. 

94.3 

9.7 

103. 

92.2 

10.8 

102. 

89.9 

12.1 

101. 

87.3 

13.7 

100. 

84.3 

15.7 

99. 

81.0 

18.0 

98. 

77.2 

20.8 

97.5 

74.9 

22.  tt 

97. 

72.7 

24.3 

96. 

67.6 

28.4 

95. 

62.0 

33.0 

94. 

57.0 

37.0 

93. 

52.8 

40.2 

92. 

49.5 

42.5 

91. 

46.6 

44.4 

90. 

43.7 

46.3 

89.45 

42.19 

47.26 

Differences  of  corresponding  readings. 


Gauge  No.  2. 

Gauge  No.  3. 

Difference. 

114.5 

107.5 

7. 

113.5 

106.6 

6.9 

112.1 

105.4 

6.7 

110.7 

104.2 

6.5 

109.3 

103.1 

6.2 

107.9 

101.9 

6. 

106.5 

100.5 

6. 

105.1 

99  1 

6. 

103.7 

97.6 

6.1 

102.3 

95.9 

6.4 

100.  9 

94.2 

6.7 

99.4 

92.3 

7.1 

97.7 

90.2 

7.5 

96.1 

88.0 

8.1 

94.3 

85.6 

8.7 

92.2 

83.2 

9. 

89.9 

80.6 

9.3 

87.3 

77.7 

9.6 

84.3 

74.4 

9.9 

81.0 

70.4 

10.6 

77.2 

65.3 

11.9 

74.9 

(t'2.6 

12.3 

72.7 

59.7 

13. 

67.6 

54.1 

13.5 

62.0 

48.4 

13.6 

57.0 

42.4 

14.6 

52.8 

36.1 

16.7 

49.5 

30.5 

19. 

46.6 

26.1 

20.5 

43.7 

22.4 

21.3 

42.19 

20.49 

21.70 

16 


SURVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA   RIVER. 

Differences  of  corresponding  readings. 


Gauge  No.  2. 

Gauge  No.  4. 

Difference. 

114.5 

75.9 

38.6 

113.5 

74.7 

38.  8 

112.1 

73.0 

39.1 

110.7 

71.3 

39.4 

109.3 

69.6 

39.7 

107.9 

67.9 

40.0 

106.5 

66.2 

40.3 

105.1 

64.5 

40.6 

103.7 

62.8 

40.9 

102.3 

61.0 

41.3 

100.9 

59.2 

41.7 

99.4 

57.4 

42.0 

97.7 

55.6 

42.1 

96.1 

53.6 

42.5 

94.3 

51.4 

42.9 

92.2 

49.1 

43.1 

89.9 

46.5 

43.4 

87.3 

43.7 

43.6 

84.3 

40.7 

43.6 

81.0 

37.6 

43.4 

77.2 

34.3 

42.9 

74.» 

32.7 

42.2 

72.7 

31.0 

41.7 

67.6 

27.8 

39.8 

62.0 

24.7 

37.3 

57.0 

21.4 

35.6 

52.8 

18.1 

34.7 

49.5 

15.2 

34.3 

46.6 

12.8 

33.8 

43.7 

10.5 

33.2 

42.19 

9.30 

32.  89 

Differences  of  corresponding  readings. 


Gauge  No.  2. 

Gauge  No.  5. 

Difference. 

114.5 

61.2 

53.3 

113.5 

60  2 

53.3 

112.1 

58.7 

53.4 

110.7 

57.2 

53.4 

109.3 

55.8 

53.5 

107.9 

54.3 

53.6 

106.5 

52.8 

53.7 

105.1 

51.3 

53.8 

103.7 

49.8 

53.9 

102.3 

48.1 

54.2 

100.9 

45.3 

55.6 

99.4 

44.5 

54  9 

97.7 

42.6 

55.1 

96.1 

40.6 

55.5 

94.3 

38.6 

55.7 

92.2 

36.6 

55.6 

89.9 

34.5 

55.4 

87.3 

32.4 

54.9 

84.4 

30.2 

54.1 

81.0 

28.1 

52.9 

77.2 

26.1 

51.1 

74.tt 

25.0 

4».9 

72.7 

24.1 

48.6 

67.6 

22.0 

45.6 

62.0 

19.9 

42.1 

57.0 

17.6 

39.4 

52.8 

15.1 

37.7 

49.5 

12.9 

36.6 

46.6 

10.9 

35.7 

43.7 

9.0 

34.7 

42.19 

8.01 

34.18 

SURVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA    RIVER 

Differences  of  corresponding  readings. 


17 


Gauge  No.  3. 

Gauge  No.  4. 

Difference. 

107.5 

75.9 

31.6 

106.6 

74.7 

31.9 

105.4 

73.0 

32.4 

104.2 

71.3 

32.9 

103.1 

69.6 

33.5 

101.9 

67.9 

34.0 

100.5 

66.2 

34.3 

99.1 

64.5 

34.6 

97.6 

62.8 

34.8 

95.9 

61.0 

34.9 

94.2 

59.2 

35.0 

92.3 

57.4 

34.9 

90.2 

55.6 

34.6 

88.0 

53.6 

34.4 

85.6 

51.4 

34.2 

83.2 

49.1 

34.1 

80.6 

46.5 

34.1 

77.7 

43.7 

34.0 

74.4 

40.7 

33.7 

70.4 

37.6 

32.8 

65.3 

34.3 

31.0 

«2.« 

32.7 

29.9 

59.7 

31.0 

28.7 

54.1 

27.8 

26.3 

48.4 

24.7 

23.7 

42.4 

21.4 

21.0 

36.1 

18.1 

18.0 

30.5 

15.2 

15.3 

26.1 

12.8 

13.3 

22.4 

10.5 

11.9 

20.49 

9.30 

11.19 

Differences  of  corresponding  readings. 


Gauge  No.  4. 

Gauge  No.  5 

Difference. 

75.9 

61.2 

14.7 

74.7 

60.2 

14.5 

73.0 

58.7 

14.3 

71.3 

57.2 

14.1 

69.6 

55.8 

13.8 

67.9 

54.3 

13.6 

66.2 

52.8 

13.4 

64.5 

51.3 

13.2 

62.8 

49.8 

13.0 

61.0 

48.1 

12.9 

59.2 

45.3 

13.9 

57.4 

44.5 

12.9 

55.6 

42.6 

13.0 

53.6 

40.6 

13.0 

51.4 

38.6 

12.8 

49.1 

36.6 

12.5 

46.5 

34.5 

12.0 

43.7 

32.4 

11.3 

40.7 

30.2 

10.5 

37.6 

28.1 

9.5 

34.3 

26.1 

8.2 

82.7 

25.0 

7.7 

31.0 

24.1 

6.9 

27.8 

22.0 

5.8 

24.7 

19.9 

4.8 

21.4 

17.6 

3.8 

18.1 

15.1 

3.0 

15.2 

12.9 

2.3 

12.8 

10.9 

1.9 

10.05 

9.0 

1.5 

9.30 

8.01 

1.29 

S.  Ex.  184 2 


18 


SURVEY  OF  THE  COLUMBIA  RIVER. 

SURVEY  OF   THE  DALLES,   COLUMBIA   RIVER,    1879-1880. 

Current  measurements. 


Place. 

Date. 

Stage  of  river  above 
low-water. 

Surface  velocity,  in 
miles  per  hour. 

Remarks. 

Above  Celilo  Falls 

Oct    22  1879 

On  gauge  5. 
5  2 

1.2 

1.9 
2.2 

Maximum. 

1.8 

Mean. 

Near  &  4  L 

June  17  1880 

41  6 

11  4 

10.0 
6.6 
7.5 

Opposite  A  6  L  —  £  7  L  

Oct.   22  1879 

5  2 

8.9 

Mean. 

6.2 

Maximum. 

Opposite  A  8  L 

Oct    25  1879 

5  4 

5.8 

Mean. 

6.9 

Near  &  8  L      .  . 

June  17  1880 

41  6 

6.95 
5  2 

Mean. 

Opposite  &  10  R  

Oct.   25  1879 

5  4 

5!  7 
5.9 

Maximum. 
Mean. 

5.6 

5.8 

Maximum. 

Ten-Mile  Rapid,  opposite  A  17  L  

Nov.  10,  1879 

4.4 

5.6 

7.T~ 
7!  8 

Mean. 
Maximum. 

High-water  channel,  opposite  Ten-Mile 
Rapid. 

Opposite  A  20  L  

June  18,  1880 
Nov  11  1879 

42.4 
4  5 

7.6 

7.  8 
7.0 
6.7 
8.3 

Mean. 

Maximum. 
Mean. 

6.6 
12.7 

Maximum. 

N,arA29R 

7.9 

Mean. 

Above  Five-Mile  Rapid,  opposite  A  31  L  . 

Jan.     9,  1880 

4.7 

5.7 
5.6 
5.1 

5.5 
3.7 

3.2 

Maximum. 

Meau. 
Maximum. 

ICeaa. 

SURVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA    RIVER. 
Curren t  measurements — Continued. 


19 


g 

a 

j  . 

-£» 

Place. 

Date. 

|| 

!| 

Remarks. 

•3J 

Near  A  32  L  

June  21,  1880 

•  Chi  gauge  5. 
43.8 

16.7 

12.5 

13.6 

7.5 

15.0 

13.6 

18.8 

Maximum. 

' 

14.0 

Mean. 

Near  A  33  L 

June  16,  1880 

40.3 

15  1 

14.2 

10.4 

12.0 

11.4 

15.5 

Maximum. 

13.1 

Mean. 

Five-Mile  Rapid,  opposite  A  1  C  

Jan.    9,1880 

4.7 

6.7~ 

Maximum. 

6.2 

6.3 

Mean. 

Opposite  A  41  L  

June  16,  1880 

40.3 

7.6 

Maximum. 

7.6 

7.1 

5.9 

7.0 

Mean. 

Opposite  A  44  L  

Jan.  11,1880 

4.2 

1.7 

2.1 

Maximum. 

1.9 

Opposite  A  45  L 

June  16,  1880 

40.  3 

1.9 
13  4 

IMean. 
Maximum. 

11.8 

12.7 

13.0 

10.5 

12.7 

12.3 

Mean. 

Narrows,  opposite  A  49  R  

Jan.  11,1880 

4.2 

2.1 

3.0 

Maximum. 

2.8 

2.9 

2.7 

Mean. 

NOTES   OX   ARRANGEMENT   OF   LIFT   FOR   CELILO   LOCKS. 

River  improvement  below  the  Falls  will  lower  low- water  surface.  A  decrease  of  one 
foot  ia  assumed.  This  will  make  the  new  low-water  reference  at  gauge  2,  41.2.  A 
single  lock  for  use  during  the  Cascade  stage  of  20  feet  would  require  a  lower  gate  at 
least  60  feet  high.  With  a  single  lift,  for  continued  navigation  beyond  the  Cascade 
stage  of  20  feet,  double  lockage  would  be  required  until  the  backwater  is  6  and  pre- 
ferably 8  feet  on  the  upper  level  of  canal ;  this  would  require  for  convenience  a  height 
of  lower  gate  of  about  68  feet.  The  gates  must  be  about  42  feet  wide.  Pressures  result- 
ing from  the  heads  of  water  which  obtain  are  excessive.  Moreover,  the  Cascades  work 
so  far  render  practicability  of  navigation  probable  for  stages  higher  than  the  20-foot 
one. 

The  addition  of  a  lock  after  the  canal  is  opened  will  cause  some  interruption  or  delay 
to  navigation.  Two  locks  at  Celilo  seem  desirable  for  the  first  stage  of  construction. 


20 


SURVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA    RIVER. 


TO  FIND   THE   BEST  ARRANGEMENT  OF   THE   LIFT. 

At  extreme  low  stage  the  canalization  of  water  surfaces  in  two  locks  during  lock 
age  will  be,  ^  (89.4  -f  41.2)  =  65.3.  To  give  6  feet  draught  at  this  level  the  sill  at  mid- 
dle gate  must  then  not  exceed  reference  59.3 

Take  now  the  same  measure  for  maximum  total  pressure  permissible  on  a  gate  as 
adopted  at  the  Cascades  Canal.  This  limit  is  expressed  by  the  formula  Pm  =  1369  c, 
wherein  c  is  a  constant  depending  upon  gate  span  and  rise  of  miter  sill,  which  are 
chosen  the  same  for  the  two  canals.  An  inspection  of  the  curve  of  corresponding 
readings  on  gauges  1  and  2  shows  that  for  stages  between  readings  of  55  and  75, 
gauge  2,  the  rise  on  that  guage  for  1  foot  on  guage  1  is  uniform  and  equal  to  5  feet. 

From  the  ordinary  hydrostatic  formula  we  may  write,  P  =  c  (H2  —  Hi2)  =  c(H+Hi) 
(H — HI),  in  which  P  is  total  intensity  and  H-j-Hi  are  heads  of  water  respectively 
on  upper  and  lower  sides  of  gate.  Referring  these  heads  to  the  ntb  stage  between  the 

limits  named,  the  formula  becomes  for  then -f-1  foot  stage  on  guage  1,  -  =  (H-f-Hi  _|_6) 

(H—  H,— 4)=H2— Hu-f-  2  [H— (5  Hj-f 12)].  From  the  last  member  we  deduce  that  the 
total  intensity  at  any  stage  will  be  greater  or  less  than  at  the  preceding  stage  of  1  foot 
on  guage  1  according  as  H  >  5  H!  -f  12  or  H<  5  HI  +  12 ;  and  that  the  maximum  value 
will  obtain  when  H=5  Hi-f-12.  For  the  bottom  of  middle  gate  between  references 
59  and  50- and  readings  on  gauge  2  greater  than  75  and  less  than  55  it  may  be  shown 
that  gate  pressures  are  less  than  between  those  stages.  From  the  expressions  of  con- 
dition above  and  the  adopted  limit  of  pressure,  the  middle  miter  sill  is  fixed  as  shown 
on  the  profile.  Heights  of  gates  are  selected  from  similar  considerations,  to  give 
lockage  by  two  locks  from  low  to  near  mean  high- water  and  to  have  two  sizes  only  of 
gates  throughout  the  canal.  Low  guard-sills  are  placed  in  front  of  gates  which  are 
at  the  ends  of  long  reaches  of  water. 

A  change  of  regimen  of  the  river  at  the  falls  by  radical  improvement  below  may 
make  a  little  different  arrangement  of  locks  desirable  ;  the  one  offered  is  sufficient  for 
a  fairly  close  estimate  of  cost.  The  project  provides  for  full  completion  of  river  im- 
provement before  commencement  of  canal  construction. 

CHAS.  F.  POWELL. 


DETAILED  ESTIMATES   OF   LOW-WATER  PROJECT. 

(1)   Wagon  road  from  Big  Eddy  to  head  of  Celilo  Falls,  Washington  Territory. 


Road  station. 

Distance, 

Grade.            Cut. 

FilL 

Remarks. 

0  to  1  

Feet. 

3,900 

Cubic  yardt. 
1  in  200 

Oubic  yardt. 

1  to  2 

1  000 

1  in    65  1   (Rock)    240 

2  to  3           

3  000 

'     Level       (Rock)    200 

Falls. 

3  to4 

2  400 

1  in  4«0 

4  to  5  

200 

1   1  in   40  ' 

5  to  6 

250 

:     Level    '  (Rock)    300 

bowlders  to  reniove. 

6to7  

2  500 

'    1  in  830  ' 

Do 

7  to  A  13  R  

1,200 

Level     . 

£13  R  to8  

1,200 

Level     

8to9  

1,300 

1  in    93 

loose    bowlders    to  re- 
move. 

9  to  10  •-  .  . 

1,700 

lin  212    

Do 

10  to  11  

2,000 

1  in  166    

Do 

11  to  12  

900 

1  in  300 

12  to  13  
13  to  14  

3,700 
1,800 

1  in  370      (Rock)    600 

,    1  in    82 

9CO 

Do 

14  to  15  

1  OOU 

Level       (Rock)    300 

15  to  <S  26  R 

5  200 

Level                     4  680 

T         '1                  11   th 

&  26  R  to  A  28  R  ... 
A28RtoJ6  
16tol7  
]7tol8  

2,000 
2,600 
1,700 
300 

T  in  110                  2,  000 
Level    '                  300 
1  in    85                  1,  500 
1  in    00 

1,000 
400 
1,500 

and  will  probably  aver- 
age 90  yards  per  100  feet. 
Road  12  feet  wide. 

Side  cut. 

18  to  19  

450 

Level 

19  to  20  
20  to-'l  

2,000 
850 

Level      

1  in  •'<•()     (Rock)    9uO 

500 

Loose  bowlders  to  reniove. 
Do 

21  to  22  

22  to  23  ... 

850 
60J 

1  in  IOC      (Rock)    100 
1  in  150  ... 

500 
200 

.SURVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA    RIVER. 

Detailed  estimaies  of  lou'-w:tter  project — Continued. 


21 


Road  station. 


Distance.         Grade. 


Cut, 


Fill. 


23  to  24  . . . 

24  to  25  . . . 

25  to  26 

26  to  27  ... 

27  to  28  . . . 

28  to  29  . . . 

29  to  30  ... 

30  to  31  ... 

31  to  32  ... 

32  to  33 

33  to  34  ... 


1,200 


BOO 

11)0 


8QO 
400 

300 

too 

500 
750 


Level 


1  in  100 
1  in    50 


Cubic  yards. 


Cubic  yards. 


Level 
1  in  56 
1  in  30 

Level 
1  in  122 

Level 
lin  60 
lin  28 


(Rock)    200 


50. 400       >  | 
9.  55  miles.  5  I 


700 
300 
200 
260 
1,000 
900 
500 
350 


Surface     fonnibg     lo< 
bowlders  to  remove. 


200 


15,290    i  gravel  and  earth,-"  rock. 

+1,840  ;  To  borrow. 


17,130 


6,500  cubic  yards  rock,  at  $1.50  $9,750  00 

10,630  cubic  yards  earth  and  gravel,  at  40  cents 4,252  00 

2,200  cubic  yards  rock  additional,  wasted,  at  $1.50 3,300  00 

10,500  linear  feet,  3,500  cubic  yards,  dry  retaining  Mall,  at  63  cents  .  2,205  00 

Bridge  as  per  detail  estimate 1,546  61 


Total,  wagon  road  and  bridge 

WAGON   ROAD   BRIDGE,  SPAX   300  FEET. 

Bill  of  lumber. 


1,053  61 


B.  M. 


Center  bents  (8) : 

Piles  (lower),  12"  x  12"  x  50',  600x4piles 2,400 

Piles  (dwarf),  12"xl2"xlo',  180x2piles 360 

Piles  (upper),  12"xl2"x25',  300x3  piles 800 

Braces  (lower),  8"x8"x35',  175x2  braces 350 

Braces  (upper).  6"x8"x30',  120x2  braces 240 

Caps  (lower),  12"  x  12"  x  20'.  240 240 

Caps  (upper),  12"  x  12"  x  12',  144 144 

Stringers,  6"xl2"x29',  120x2 240 

Stringers  (upper),  6"xl4"x20',  140x6 840 

Flooring,  3"  x  13"  x  20',  780 780 

Wheel-guards,  6"  x  4"  x  20',  40x2 80 

Hand-rail  and  hub-guard,  4"  x  4"  x  40"  =  55  +  2"  x  4"  x  80'  =  52 107 

6,677 
Benta  8 

53,  416  j        53,  416 

Piles,  12"  x  12"  x  30',  360x3piles M80 

Cap,  12"  x  12"  x  12',  144 144 

Braces,  6"  x  8"  x 20',  80x2 160 

Stringers,  6"xl4"x20',  140x6 840 

Flooring  and  rails  as  above,  970 970 

3,194 
Bents 

22,358 

~~  75,  774 
At  $15  per  M 

$1, 136  61 

Bolts  and  nuts,  1,100  pounds,  at  10  cents. $110  ) 

Labor  .... 300  5 

1,  546  61 


22 


SURVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA    RIVER. 


(2.)  Channel  improvement  from  foot  of  Three-Mile  Rapids  to  CeliU  Falls. 
[Colored  red  on  chart,  except  Cut  No.  8a,  which  is  yellow.] 


1 

o 

1 

£ 

Cut  No.  - 

to  low-wa 

II 

1 

"8 

?! 

yards  b« 
w-water. 

Remarks. 

1 

! 

f 

s 

r 

o 

1 

3.0 

10.0 

60 

300 

950     Isolated  rock  near  A  51  R. 

2 
3 

8.0 

10.0 
10.0 

72 
130 

830 

1,100     Isolated  rock  near  A  50  R. 
900     Submerged  rock. 

Celilo  -Dalles 

4 

"i.'o" 

10.0    

"376 

3,900     Rock  and  reef. 

Map  No.  2. 

5 
6 

10.0 
14.0 

10.  0       300 
10.  0       250 

4,800 
6,500 

5,000  :  Portion  of  island  opposite  M. 
4,600     Point  of  rock  at  M. 

7       14.0 
8       16.0 

10.0 
10.0 

200 
100 

4,600  i     2,800     Island  opposite  A  45  L. 
2,400        1,700  j  Point  near  A  45  L. 

8« 

3.0 

0.  0       150 

1,600    Narrow  channel  near  A  43  R. 

9 

40.0 

10.0 

260 

10,800  !    6.000 

Island  near  Grave  Island. 

On 

20.0 

10.0 

250 

3,400 

5,555 

Near  A  40  R. 

10       16.  0 

10.0 

23 

300 

180 

Island  iiear  Grave  Island. 

11        19.  0 

10.  0       130 

1,700 

1,300 

Do. 

lla      6.  0 

10.0 

100 

650 

500 

Point  on  Grave  Island. 

12 

5.0 

10.0 

120 

570 

1,100 

Island  near  A  5  C. 

The  Dalles 
Map. 

12a     15.  0 
13         S.O 
14       40.  0 

10.0 
10.0 
10.0 

200 
50 
470 

14,300 

7,100 

Point  near  A  39  R. 
Island  near  A  5  C. 
Near  A  38  R. 

15       46  0 

10.0  !    280 

4',100 

3,200 

Island  near  A  38  R  (south  side). 

16       17.0 

10.  0      J£0 

1,620 

500 

Near  A  38  R. 

17       25.0 

10.0       600 

8,300 

5,400 

Near  A  37  R. 

18       20.0 

10.  0       550 

7,050 

4,100 

Near  A  3  C. 

19       30.  0 

10.0   1,150 

54,000 

27,000 

Near  A  1  C. 

20       34.  0 

10.0  ,     700 

11,400 

9,200 

Near  A  35  R. 

21       31.  0 

10.  0       230 

1,200 

880 

North  side  of  channel,  opposite  Cut  No.  22. 

;22       31.0 

10.  0       600 

48,000 

23,900 

Near  A  1  C. 

23       33.  0 

10.0  ,     280 

2,800 

2,300 

Below  head  of  Relief  Channel. 

Celilo  -Dalles 

24    i  30.0 

10.0       600 

10,600 

6,500 

Above  head  of  Relief  Channel. 

Map  No.  2. 

25 
26 
27 

35.0 
55.0 
47.0 

10.0  j    470 
10.  0       500 
10.0  i    460 

9,100 
28,300 
31,200 

4,200 
9,400 
12,650 

Above  A  34  L  on  south  side. 
Opposite  section  house,  north  side. 
Do. 

Ten-Mile  Rapids. 
[Colored  red  on  chart.] 


f28 

10.0 

10.0 

300 

4,600 

6,400     Near  A  26  R. 

?9 

10.  0     10.  0 

250 

13,500 

13,200             Do. 

30 

20.0 

10.0 

600 

14,000 

8,300     Island  near  A  26  R. 

Celilo-Dalles 
Map  No.  1. 

31 
32 
33 
34 

8.0 
7.0 
51.0 
32.0 

10.0 
10.0 
10.0 
10.0 

100 
100 
150 
700 

1,400 
900 
6,800 
14.SOO 

2,200     Isolated  rocks. 
1  ,200     Island  near  A  25  R.  (north  end)  . 
1,500     Near  A  18  R. 
7,200     Near  A  17  L.  (south  side). 

35 

33.0 

10.0 

150 

1,400 

890     Near  A  17  R.  (north  side). 

36 
37 

33.0 
30.0 

10.0 
10.0 

400 
600 

3,200 
63,800 

3,000     Near  A  17  L.  (south  side). 
31,400     Near  A  1C  R. 

408,500 

232,339 

SURVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA    RIVER. 


23 


(!'.)  enlargement  of  side  channel  near  head  of  Dalles  Itajjidg,  Washington  Territory  shoi 
[Colored  red  on  chart.] 


1 

i. 

3 

g 

1 

^  3 

*  . 

1 

% 

Station  number.         "g 
Cl 

1  3 

|| 

i 

3 

Remarks. 

.=- 

II 

1 

1 

E 

1 

I 

J 

d 
O 

Feet. 

Feet. 

1  

100 

50 

10 

19.800 

4,100 

Entrance  to  channel  (low-  water  20  feet). 

8,600 

7,500 

Entrance  to  channel  (north  side). 

2  

100 

30 

10 

7  200 

2,400 

3  

100 

45 

10 

2,700 

840 

4 

100 

40 

10 

18  900 

5  000 

5  

100 

50 

10 

8',700 

3,200 

6 

100 

50 

10 

47  000 

10,300 

7  

100 

120 

50 
50 

10 
10 

20,100 
24,000 

4,800 
7,000 

(Low-water  18  feet.) 

9.'"""!!.""."I!."i 

120 

44 

10 

16,500 

7,500 

10  

120 

44 

10 

9,800 

4,800 

120 

50 

10 

3,700 

12 

130 

57 

10 

24*200 

5,200 

13 

120 

48 

10 

15,7)00 

3,300 

14  

100 

45 

10 

10,000 

3,100 

(Low-water  15  feet.) 

15  

40 

10 

9,100 

tt.SOO 

Re-enter  river  near  &  34  R. 

249,100 
Krought  forward                                   IOV.MMI 

79,540 
232,339 

Total  excavation  

657,600 

Ijl7,879 

657,600  cubic  yards  excavated  down  to  low  water,  at  $2 $1,315,200 

311,879  cubic  yards  excavated  below  low  water,  at  $10 3,118,790 

Total...  4,433,990 


(4)  Enlargement  of  side  channel  near  middle  of  Dallas  Rapids,  Oregon  shore,  to  give  8  feet 
depth  at  stage  of  20  feet  on  Cascade  Gauge  Xo.  2. 

[Colored  yellow  on  chart.] 


Station. 

Depth  of 
water. 

Width  of 
channel. 

Cut. 

Remarks. 

0  to    400  

Feet. 
8 

Feet. 
100 

Cub.  yds. 
8  300 

400  to    550 

g 

100 

5  200 

550  to    850  

8 

100 

4  700 

850  to  1'JOO  

1°00  to  1400 

8 
g 

100 
100 

1,100 
3  700 

In  pond  to  left  of  &  1  c. 
Do 

1400  to  1700  

1700  to  1900 

8 
g 

100 
100 

6,500 
7  100 

Do. 
Do 

1900  to  2150  

8 

100 

10,500 

In  pond  between  A  2  c  and  A  4  c. 

21  50  to  2300 

g 

100 

9300 

Do 

2300  to  2450  

8 

100 

<t,700 

Do. 

°450  to  2600  

g 

100 

10,800 

Do. 

9600  to  2850 

g 

100 

15  600 

Do 

2850  to  3200  

3200  to  3500 

g 
g 

100 
100 

20,400 
19,700 

Do. 

3500  to  3700  

g 

100 

5,200 

3700  to  4250  . 

g 

100 

134,800 

134,800  cubic  yards,  above  mean  low-water,  at  $1,50 $202,200 

Brought  forward 4,433,990 

4,636,190 


24 


SURVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA    RIVER. 


(5)  Enlargement  of  channel  around  Ten-Mile  Rapids,  Jfanliiiiyton  Territory  shore,  to  foe  300 
feet  wide  and  8  feet  deep  at  stage  of  '20  feet  on  Cascade  Gauge  Xo.  2. 

[Colored  yellow  on  chart.] 


Dept 

h  of 

m  feet 

water 

Stations. 

i 

s 

!§  • 
A 

0               

30 

36 

30 

300 

Cubic  yds. 

Extreme  low-water  near  A  16  R- 

400 

g 

15 

g 

220 

Channel  300  feet  wide.  6.  5  feet  at  sides. 

800 

g 

15 

g 

225 

Do 

1100 

g 

16  5 

g 

300 

Do. 

1500 

g 

17 

g 

300 

Do. 

1700. 

g 

17 

g 

200 

Channel  may  be  widened  with  light  cut. 

1900 

g 

17 

g 

350 

2400 

g 

20 

g 

500 

2800 

g 

14 

g 

300 

Foot  of  small  pond.    ' 

2900 

6  5 

14 

6  5 

200 

3100  

g 

14 

g 

250 

Do. 

3200 

g 

16 

10 

200 

"   480 

Cut  on  left  bank. 

3450  

g 

16 

g 

200 

8,000 

Between  smallest  and  long  pond. 

3600 

g 

16 

0 

250 

5,440 

Do. 

4200 

g 

g 

250 

13  *200 

Do. 

4400  .'  

g 

,8 

g 

250 

4,000 

At  head  of  long  pond. 

5000 

g 

12 

g 

220 

18,500 

5400  

g 

12 

g 

220 

4400 

Do. 

5700       

g 

12 

8 

250 

800 

Do. 

5800 

g 

12 

g 

250 

1,100 

Do                                      • 

6200  

g 

g 

g 

250 

7,400 

Do. 

6700 

g 

12 

g 

250 

7400 

7000  

g 

12 

g 

250 

4,000 

Near  A  20  R. 

7300 

g 

10 

250 

1,000 

Do 

8800  

10 

10 

10 

300 

75,720 

75,720  cubic  yards  excavation  of  rock  above  mean  low  water,  at  $1.50. 

Amount  brought  forward 

Wagon-road  and  bridge 

Title  to  land  and  right  of  way  for  improvement  and  Celilo  Canal 

Total  low-water  project,  exclusive  of  Celilo  Canal  construction 

(6.)   CELILO   CANAL. 

Abstract  of  estimate  of  cost. 

Protective  and  wing  -walls 

Excavation 

Masonry 

Crib-work 

Five  pairs  gates 

Buildings,  machinery,  culverts,  and  other  accessories 


$112, 680  00 

4, 636, 190  00 

21,053  61 

10,  000  00 

4, 119, 923  61 


$348,71508 

1,035,41960 

1,111,46020 

62, 977  02 

86,000  00 

250,000  00 

Total ....  2,894  571  90 


SURVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA    RIVER. 


25 


(a)  Estimate  for  protective  wall  on  river  side. 
[Structure  of  concrete,  with  facing  of  hard  finish.] 


Section. 

Depth. 

Area. 

Length. 

Cubic  feet. 

Cuhic  yards. 

Ko.  1  

Feet. 
29 

337 

Feet. 

2                          .  . 

23 

253 

840 

247  800 

3 

22  7 

249 

360 

4          

32.6 

394  5 

50 

16  090 

5 

17  6 

179 

170 

48*  739 

6  

15.2 

150 

180 

29  619 

7 

17.0 

172 

130 

6  430 

g 

41  6 

549 

510 

9                              .  .. 

39.6 

515 

180 

95  760 

10 

45 

612 

100 

56  356 

11  

20 

210 

380 

156  180 

12 

30  2 

359 

410 

116  645 

13  

45.4 

621 

50 

94  500 

14 

24 

264 

60 

26  550 

15  

35 

394 

200 

66  800 

16 

50 

710 

10 

5  520 

'   17  .  

50 

710 

28  400 

3,670 

1,190,295 

44,  418 

44,418  cubic  yards  concrete,  at  $7 $310,926  00 

105,590  square  feet  of  hard  finish,  at  4  cents .' 4,223  60 

315,149  60 


(b)  Estimate  for  icing  wall  at  head  of  canal. 
[Structure  of  concrete,  with  facing  of  hard  finish.] 


Section. 

Depth. 

Area. 

Length. 

Cubic  feet. 

Cubic  yards. 

No  1 

Feet. 
4  5 

38  7 

Feet. 
30 

582 

3 

14.5 
17  5 

142.1 
178  5 

120 
90 

10,848 
14  427 

4    . 

14.5 

142.1 

60 

9,618 

5 

24  4 

269  6 

150 

30  877 

6  

29.4 

343.1 

200 

61.  270 


127,  622 

4,727 

4,727  cubic  yards  concrete,  at  $7 $33,089  00 

11,912  square  feet  hard  finish,  at  4  cents 476  48 

Brought  forward 315,149  60 

Total...                                                                                                  .  348,71508 


4282.18 


26 


SURVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA    RIVER. 
(c)  Estimate  of  excaration. 


Designation  of  section. 


•§« 


Approach  to  upper  guard-gate 

Masonry  of  upper  guard-gate 


Upper  level 

Do 

Do 

Do 

Do 

Do 

Do 

Do 

Do 

Upper  lock 

Do 

Do 

Do 

Do 

Lower  lock 

Do 

Do • 

Do 

Do 

Lower  guard-gate 

Below  lower  guard-gate 

Do 


33,040 
1,056 
8,260 
48,560 
18.  000 
9,000 
18,000 
18,000 
31,500 
27,  000 
29,  700 
5,600 
8,680 
5,600 
27,  450 
5,600 
21,648 
8,162 
8,862 
40,  980 
8,862 
8,162 
7,714 
700 
6,240 
112,654 


Feet. 

4.2 
10.6 
11.1 
11.0 
12.5 
16.0 
13.0 
16.0 
24.0 
21.5 
14.0 

5.0 
28.2 
40.2 
40.2 
43.0 
40.4 
64.0 
64.0 
63.5 
53.0 
53.8 
53.8 
52.8 
57.0 

8.0 


1,  387,  680 
12,  194 
91,  686 
534,  160 
22.-,,  000 
144,  000 
234,  000 


756,  000 
580,  500 
415,  800 
28,000 
244,  776 
225,  120 

1,  103,  490 
240,  800 
874,  679 
522,  368 
567,  168 

2,  602,  230 
469,  6*6 
439,  116 
415,013 

36,960 


Total,  rock . . 


901,232    

13,  695,  338     507,  235 


GRAVEL. 


Below  lower  guard-gate 112,654          8.0          901,232 

Do 320X715  =          1U)ij 

Do 16X8X715  ,          30i5Q7 

Do (20X16)  X  (16X8)    x?15=  j        m 749  | 

Total,  gravel 1, 152,  888       42.700 

460,683  cubic  yards  excavation  of  rock  above  low-water,  at  $1.20 8522,  .-19  GO 

46,552  cubic  yards  excavation  of  rock  below  low-water,  at  810 465, 520  00 

42,700  cubic  yards  excavation  of  gravel,  at  40  cents 17, 080  00 

Total 1,0.35,419  60 

(d)  Masonry. 

Section.  Cubic  yards. 

Upper  guard-gate 4.991.7 

Upper  lift-gate : 6, 555. 6 

Upper  lock-chamber 30,846.4 

Middle  lift-gate 8,260.7 

Lower  lock-chamber 29,620.4 

Lower  lift-gate 7,753.0 

Lower  guard-gate , 5,  466.  0 

Lift-walls .- -2.471..", 

Total 95,965.3 

87,987.9  cubic  yards  concrete,  at  $11 $967,  867  00 

7,977.  4  cubic  yards  cut  stone  masonry,  at  $18 143,593  20 

Total  cost  of  masonry 1, 111,460  20 


SURVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA    RIVER. 

(e)  Crib  work. 


27 


Feet  b.  m. 

At  upper  entrance  on  river  side 331,190 

At  upper  entrance  on  land  side -248. 040 

At  head  of  upper  lock  on  river  side 88, 944 

At  head  of  upper  lock  on  laud  side 79, 140 

At  foot  of  canal  on  river  side 1,227,888 

At  foot  of  canal  on  land  side 124,032 

Total 2,099,234 

2,099,234  feet  B.  M.,  in  place,  crib  completed,  including  iron,  at$30perM.          $62, 977  02 

(/)  Iron  lock-gates. 

Upper  guard-gates $15,000 

Upper  lift -gates 15,000 

Middle  lift -gates 20,500 

Lower  lift-gates 1 20,500 

Lower  guard-gates 15, 000 

Total 86,000 

II.— ESTIMATE   OF   HIGH-WATER   PROJECT. 

(1)  Siver  work. 

For  additional  removal  of  rock  down  to  or  near,  but  not  below,  low-water,  to  give  a 
continuous  slope  from  Celilo  Falls  to  the  Dalles  of  not  more  than  0.85  foot  per  1,000, 
at  the  following-named  points: 

Cubic  yards. 

At  head  of  Dalles  (Five-Mile  Rapids) 666,667 

Thence  through  Dalles  to  Bigg  Eddy 1,884,440 

Opposite  A  42  L 71,100 

Opposite  A  45  L 17,700 

Opposite  A  47  L 15,400 

2, 655, 307 
Less  excavation  included  in  low  water  project 868, 120 

1,787,187 

Submerged  dam  and  closing  minor  channel  at  Narrows 21 , 500 

Three  submerged  dams  at  Dalles  City 35,256 

56,756 

Cut  through  shoal  above  Five-Mile  Rapids,  150  feet  wide  to  8  feet  below 
low-water , 40,000 

1,787, 187  cubic  yards  excavation,  at  §1 §1,787, 187 

56,756  cubic  yards  excavation,  at  $1.50 85, 134 

40,000  cubic  yards  excavation,  at  $10 400,000 

2, 212, 321 

(2)  Celilo  Canal. 
Enlargement  of  canal : 

(« )  14,500  cubic  yards  excavation,  at  $1.20 $17, 400  00 

(6)  Guard-lock: 

1,920  cubic  yards  excavation  under  masonry,  at$10.     $19, 200  00 

27,700  cubic  yards  concrete,  at  §1 1 304, 700  00 

1,050  cubic  yards  cut  stone  masonry,  at  $18 18, 900  00 

1  pair  gates 15,000  00 

Machinery,  &c 50,000  00 

407, 800  00 


28  SURVEY    OF    THE    COLUMBIA    RIVER. 

(c)  Dry  dock  70  by  300  feet : 

Cubic  yards. 

Approach  'in  canal  900  feet  long 32, 667 

Chamber  300  feet  long 10,  889 

43,556 

Concrete  walls 8,580 

Cut  stone  facing 1,000 

43,556  cubic  yards  excavation,  at  $1.20 $52, 267  fcO 

8,;>80  cubic  yards  concrete,  at  $7 60,060  00 

1,000  cubic  yards  cut  stone,  at  $18 18,000  00 

One  pair  gates 15,000  00 

$145,327  20 


Total 570,527  20 


5020 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY,  LOS  ANGELES 

COLLEGE  LIBRARY 


»D 


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